The only way I have been able to learn about The Old Trail Drive-In was through The Baker City Herald Newspaper, and like other theaters at that time that was the only way for the community to keep up to date on it as well. The first advertisement included the hours, pricing, what movies were playing, and where the theater was located. The location description on the first advertisement style (which stayed the same from September 16th, 1950 until June 6th, 1951, when they updated their ad style) was “Highway 30-Across from Baker Motel” to, “North on U.S. 30.” The advertisements in the beginning always included the pricing for the drive-in: 55c for adults, 9c for kids, and $1 for a car full on a family night.
As the years went on the advertisements got simpler. The pricing and location was removed from the normal advertisement, except on family nights. The box office hours, movie start time, list of what the current showings were, and a reminder to visit their concession stand, were always included in the advertisements. Occasionally there would be a section in the paper about something that took place at the theater, like a break-in, a couple parachuting into it, car auctions, etc.. There were also the occasional specials, like a family night or dusk-to-dawn showing, or a note from the owners, Stan and Joanne Voeller. The theater was geared towards families, and the involvement of the owners showed that. The movies it showed were not first runs, often a year or two after they were initially released, but they ads drew families in to spend their family night with a movie and a treat. A clipping from August 6th, 1966 says, “For the Best in Family Entertainment Come to The Old Trail Drive-In. Box Office Opens at 8:00 the Show Starts at Dusk. Cartoon with Every Show. HUNGRY? For a real taste treat visit our Snack Bar!”
Stan and Joanne had put out a personalized “closed for the season” section in the newspaper, wishing everyone a happy holiday and “looking forward to bringing you the finest in movie entertainment for the whole family next spring.” The population of Baker City in the 1950’s was around 9,400, making it a smaller city where the residents were able to connect with business owners like Stan and Joanne Voeller and feel connected to their local drive-in.
